The present invention relates to cleaning apparatus and methods and is particularly directed to an apparatus and method for cleaning window blinds.
Window blinds adapted to be cleaned in the present apparatus are of two general types. The first type comprises a plurality of slats formed of metal, plastic or wood or the like. These slats are supported in a spaced, parallel relationship to one another by means of spaced tapes. As is well known in the art, a suitable mechanism is provided for pivoting the slats in unison about their longitudinal axis between an "open" position in which the slats are substantially horizontal with a maximum spacing between them and a "closed" position in which the slats are pivoted into a generally vertical overlapping position. Additionally the window blind may be placed in either a "raised" or "lowered" position. In the "raised" position the slats are drawn together so that the vertical height of the blind is the order of a foot or less, as opposed to its normal length of several feet in the "open" position in which the slats are spaced a maximum distance from one another.
A second type of window blind is the "cloth" type. This type of blind includes a panel of translucent cloth or other flexible material having a plurality of spaced horizontal creases which form accordion like folds. This type of blind is supported by a mechanism which permits it to be raised to a compacted position in which the folds are closely adjacent to one another or lowered to an extended position in which the panel assumes a generally planer position.
It is well known that window blinds tend to get dirty after a period of use due to an accumulation of substances such as dirt, soot, grease and other foreign matter. Cleaning window blinds by hand is a very slow and costly process. Moreover, it is difficult to clean the blinds effectively so as to completely eliminate any residual streaks and spots. In the past various types of equipment have been proposed for cleaning window blinds. Each of these items or pieces of equipment have been subject to one or more defects, such as the expense and complexity of the apparatus or the necessity of disassembling the blinds so that the slats may be cleaned individually.
Typical prior art window blind washers are shown in Goetz U.S. Pat. No. 2,263,624 and Webb U.S. Pat. No. 2,313,606, which show complex machines through which the blind slats are passed. One obvious defect with the equipment shown in these patents is that the blinds must be disassembled to permit the individual slats to be fed through the cleaning equipment.
Kelley U.S. Pat. No. 2,318,884 discloses a window blind cleaning device in which the slats are cleaned by means of brushes.
Another blind cleaning device utilizing brushes in combination with sprayed air and sprayed liquid detergent is shown in Franchi U.S. Pat. No. 2,682,676. The device shown in this patent requires that the blinds be cleaned in their installed condition and could not be used to clean cloth blinds. Dyer U.S. Pat. No. 3,314,819 discloses yet another window blind apparatus utilizing a combination of sprayed liquid and brushes to clean window blinds. The device of the Dyer patent is a relatively complex device adapted to clean blinds in their installed position. It could not clean cloth blinds effectively. Schreiber U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,122 discloses a relatively expensive apparatus in which blinds are cleaned by spraying. The Schreiber equipment requires a high pressure source and heater.